Knife or scissors sharpener.



No. 644.708. Patentd Mar. 5, I900. M. L. HAWKS.

KNIFE 0R SCISSORS SHARPENER.

(Appiication filed Aug. 3, 1899.)

(No Model.)

witnesses.

In Me nior. iii-2. 03474 Y MM FFICE.

iuos'ns L. HAWKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

KNIFE OR SCISSORS SHARPENER;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,708, dated March 6, 1906.

Application filed August 3 1 8 9 9.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mosns L. HAWKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook,- and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Knife or Scissors Sharpeners; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to knife or scissors sharpeners of that class in which hardened metal sharpening bars or files are employed; and the object of my invention is to afford improved facilities and means whereby the unskilled operator is enabled to speedily and properly sharpen scissors or shears and that which insures a true fiat bevel and a thin sharp cutting edge on the knives. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is afront elevation of my improved sharpener. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the frame, the sharpening-bar and ring having been removed. Fig. 4 is a view of the sharpener in a horizontal position. Fig. 5 shows a halfsection of the frame, taken through the line w 00, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an end view of the ring, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the sharpening-bar in perspective.

The frame A is provided with an opening a and tapering sides extending in a straight line from a point near its upper end downwardly and inwardly to a point below, where they intersect with the sharpening-bar, and terminating in downwardly-extending prongs a, which are parallel with each other. These prongs are connected by short cross-bars a and 0. which serve to strengthen the frame and also provide bearings for the sharpeningbar to rest against.

The metal sharpening-bar B is cut on three sides similar to a file, except that it is grooved substantially lengthwise of the bar and so that the sharpening edges of the two opposite sides I) will incline forwardly, so as to give a cut in the direction of the width of the bar from front to rear and are designed for use in sharpening knives-such as carving-knives,

$erial No. 72 6,010. (No model.)

bread-knives, and the like. The rear side I)" of the bar is especially designed for use in sharpening scissors and shears and is out much finer than the other sides for the purpose of imparting a finer and smoother edge to the scissors than that required for the knives.

The ring 0, which is of peculiar construction, is provided with a spur or extension 0', having a face side 0'. This ring is employed for two separate and distinct purposes,which are to clamp the sharpening-bar to the frame and also to aiford a guide-bearing for the blades of scissors and shears in sharpening.

To assemble or adjust the parts, the ring 0 is first slipped over the free ends of the prongs a of the frame and as far up as it will pass and with the spur c to the rear of the frame. The sharpening-bar B is then placed longitudinally between the prongs bearing upon the cross-bars a and a and with the upper end extending through the ring and into the opening a of the frame and with the finer-cut side b to the rear. The ring 0 is then driven downward over the prongs and upon the rear side of the sharpening-bar, which bears in the notch c of the ring. The cross-bars a and a of the frame, upon which the sharpeningbar rests, are of different thickness, that of a being thicker than that of (1 by means of which the lower end of the sharpening-bar extends outward and backward from the line of the front or face side of the prongs of the frame, so that when the ring is driven downward the effect is to clamp the sharpeningbar firmly to the frame, and the bar may afterward be adjusted as occasion requires by driving up or loosening the ring and moving the bar up or down. The face side a of the spur of the ring intersects with the rear side 1) of the sharpening-bar, forming an angle therewith that is adaptable as a guide in sharpening scissors and shears.

To properly sharpen scissors, the sharpener should be placed in a substantially-horizontal position, lying upon a table or other suitable support and with the spur c of the ring uppermost, as shown at Fig. 4 of the drawings. The scissors are opened and the plain smooth side of the blade is brought to bear flatly against the face side 0 of. the spur of The abrupt bevel at the edge of the ring.

IOC

the blade of the scissors is thus brought to bear squarely upon the sharpening-surface b of the bar and the scissors speedily sharpened by drawing the blade lengthwise across the bar substantially at right angles to its length.

To sharpen knives, the upper part of the frame is grasped between the thumb and fingers of the hand and with the extreme ends of the prongs resting upon a table or other convenient support and in a substantiallyvertioal position and the knife sharpened by inserting the blade through the opening a of the frame and drawing the knife lengthwise between the diverging sides of the frame and the sharpening-bar from front to rear and substantially at right angles to the length of the bar and across the sharpening-surface b, first upon one side of the bar and then upon the other, alternatively, holding the blade of the knife flat against the angular sides of the frame.

By means of the construction and operation of this sharpener it will be seen that the blade of the knife is confined laterally between the walls of the opening a of the frame and the sharpening-bar, which renders it impossible to carry the back of the knife outward from the line of the sharpening-surface of the bar at such angles as to produce a blunt and rounded edge on the knife, but instead a thin sharp edge and a true flat bevel are thereby produced and maintained which corresponds with the acute angle between the sharpeningbar and the diverging sides at the opening a in the frame, which afford a complete guide for the knife.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described sharpener, consisting of the frame A, the sharpening-bar B, and ring 0, the frame having an opening a and angular sides intersecting with the sharpenin g-surface of the bar and adaptable as a guide in the sharpening of knives, the ring adjustably securing the bar between the prongs of the frame and having the spur c with face side a adaptable as a guide in the sharpening of scissors, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

MOSES L. HAWKS. Witnesses:

GEORGE A. BEYER, LoUIs F. IULG. 

